Learn About Hearing Aids

Hearing loss is an extremely individual experience. Just like your fingerprint is unique to you, your hearing loss is unique to only you. This means you need a hearing aid solution that is specifically for you. Our experience and training enables us to help address your individual needs. Our evidence-based, personalized hearing aid fittings will ensure you and your loved ones receive the highest standard of care for years to come. If hearing aids are the best treatment option for your hearing loss then our team of experienced hearing healthcare experts will work closely with you to find the perfect hearing aid solution and treatment plan.

Pursing treatment with hearing aids at our clinic will ensure that you are receiving the best audiology care available today (according to current best practice protocols). Unfortunately, current industry research estimates that at least 60% of hearing aids are not fit using best practice protocols - this means that at least 60% of people with hearing aids are likely using an inaccurate prescription and getting less benefit than they should be from their hearing aids. You can rest assured knowing that if you purchase hearing aids from our clinic, your hearing aids will be fit as precisely as possible using the most sophisticated clinical equipment available. In all honesty, the hearing healthcare provider you see is far more important than the hearing aid you choose.

When it comes to choosing a hearing aid solution, there are two main decisions to make – the style and the level of technology.

Hearing Aid Styles

The style of the hearing aid is chosen and prescribed based on your:

Hearing loss

Anatomical/medical considerations (e.g. ear shape/size)

Manual dexterity

Vision abilities

Lifestyle

Skin sensitivities

Cosmetics

The style usually does not change the price of the hearing aid. Hearing aids typically are grouped into two categories: In-The-Ear and Behind-The-Ear.

In-the-Ear Styles (i.e. Custom Styles)

In-the-Ear styles are custom fit biomedical devices that are manufactured using an impression/cast of your ear canal. All of the components of these hearing aids are located in the ear. The shell and faceplate come in various colours for different skin tones and preferences. In the ear styles range in size.

Invisible in the Canal (IIC)

For mild to moderately-severe hearing losses, the IIC is the ultimate in discretion. The entire hearing aid fits deep in the ear canal making it completely invisible in most ears.

Pros

discrete

uses natural resonances of outer ear for directionality

Cons

requires good dexterity (e.g. would be difficult for people with arthritis)

small battery/short battery life

requires a fairly large ear canal to accommodate hearing aid

Completely in the Canal (CIC)

For mild to moderately-severe hearing loss, the CIC is slightly larger than the IIC, making it virtually undetectable.

Pros

virtually undetectable

fits more ear canals than the IIC

uses natural resonances of outer ear for directionality

Cons

requires good dexterity (e.g. would be difficult for people with arthritis)

small battery/short battery life

In the Canal (ITC)

For mild to moderately-severe hearing loss, this hearing aid fills more of the concha (i.e. the bowl of your ear).

Pros

larger battery/longer battery life

easier to insert than IIC/CIC

volume control or program switch available

directional microphones

Cons

requires better dexterity compared to larger hearing aids

more visible than smaller custom hearing aids

In the Ear (ITE) or Full Shell

For mild to severe hearing loss, this hearing aid fills the entire concha (i.e. the bowl of your ear).

Pros

larger battery/longer battery life

most secure custom hearing aid

easiest of all hearing aid styles to insert and manipulate

volume control or program switch available

directional microphones

Cons

more prone to wind noise than smaller custom hearing aids

less discrete than smaller custom hearing aids

Behind-the-Ear Styles

Behind-the-Ear styles are biomedical devices that are located behind or on top of the outer ear (pinna), with a tubing or wire that routes the sound into an ear piece in the ear canal. The ear piece may be custom molded from an impression/cast of your ear (i.e. an earmold) or it might be a more universal ear tip (i.e. dome). BTE hearing aids come in various colours for different skin tones, hair colours, and preferences. BTE styles also range in size, with

Behind the Ear (BTE)

For mild to profound hearing loss, this hearing aid suits all hearing losses and sits behind the ear delivering sound through a tube attached to an earmold in the ear.

Pros

most resilient style of hearing aid

highest water resistance

larger battery/longer battery life

fits ALL severities of hearing loss

easy to use buttons/dials

excellent for people who have a lot of earwax or for people with “goopy” ears (e.g. people with chronic ear infections, perforated tympanic membrane, etc.)

Cons

can be larger than other styles

earmolds need to be remade every few years to retain acoustic seal

earmolds will need to be re-tubed periodically

Receiver in the Ear/Canal (RITE/RIC)

Suitable for mild to profound hearing losses, this hearing aid suits almost everyone with hearing loss. This is the most popular hearing aid style fit today.

Pros

discrete design (the most discrete option for severe hearing losses)

fits a wide range of hearing losses

repairs can often be done in office (vs. at the manufacturer)

designed for the most common type of hearing loss (i.e. high frequency)

Cons

will be coupled to ear with either a dome or custom earmold

silicone domes/tips need to be changed monthly

earmolds need to be remade every few years to retain an acoustic seal

more prone to repair than BTEs

Hearing Aid Technology

Hearing aids are Class II Medical Devices and are also categorized by their level of technology. The more advanced the hearing aids, the more assistance they will be able to provide you and your damaged auditory system. As you move from basic to premium technology, the easier the hearing aids can adapt to changing acoustical environments and soundscapes and the more processing capabilities the hearing aids have to recreate what a healthy auditory system is capable of doing.

Hearing aid technology has grown exponentially in recent years. The capabilities of modern digital hearing aids allow us to assist the damaged auditory system and improve people's hearing and communication abilities more than we ever have been able to before. We recommend you take a look at our manufacturer's hearing aid pages for more information on hearing aid technology or you can book an appointment today for a hearing instrument evaluation or consultation and our hearing healthcare specialists will answer any questions you have.

Contact Us

Hearing Survey

Please answer the question below to the best of your ability. After you choose your answer, the next question will appear. At the end of the survey, you will be provided with a score, and you may send this score to us so we may discuss any hearing loss issues you are having.

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Are there situations in which you find it difficult to hear clearly?

Do you have to strain to understand conversations?

Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?

Do you have trouble following a conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time?

Do you have trouble hearing conversations in a noisy background such as a restaurant or a group gathering?

Do you have dizziness, pain, or ringing in your ears?

Do family members or coworkers remark about you missing what has been said?

Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?

Do you find it hard to hear someone when they talk in a soft voice or whisper?

Do you find understanding women and children particularly challenging?

You are not experiencing common signs of hearing loss. However, if you suspect you may have hearing loss or are experiencing other symptoms not listed here, please contact our office for a consultation.

It appears you may be experiencing signs of a hearing loss. A hearing test can help detect early signs. We recommend contacting our office to schedule a hearing test.

Your responses indicate that you are experiencing common signs of a hearing loss. We recommend that you contact us to set up an appointment for a hearing test.

You are experiencing many signs of a hearing loss. It is highly recommended that you contact our office today for an appointment to meet with a hearing professional.

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